Prepayment gas-meter.



E. A. REEVES.

PREPA-YMENT GAS-METER.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 5, 1908.

1,000,626, 7 Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

"3 INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

A TTORNE Y.

y flggz 1 1 mm A2120 :3 BY

B. A. REEVES.

PREPAYMENT GAS METER. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. 1908.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E. A. REEVES.

PREPAYMENI' GAS METER.

APPLICATION FILED 11130.5, 190s.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

3 SHEBTSSHEET 3.

1 1,000,626. *Eigfi,

TEE i F X293...

INVNTOR. M a M ATTORNEY WITNESSES %m w)? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN A. REEVES, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

PBEPAYMENT GAS-METER.

' ated mechanism attachments for such meters although not necessarilylimited to such use.

It is the object of my invention, among other things, to provide meansfor adjusting the mechanism whereby varying quantities of gas may beprocured for the same unit price, which is determined by the varyingrates of gas per thousand feet; means where by the total amount ofprepaid gas is only limited by the capacity of the registering mechanismof the meter; and to accomplish these and other desirable results withmechanism that is simple and economical, capable of being readilyassembled, and positive in its operation.

To these, and other ends, my invention consists in the prepayment gasmeter having certain details of construction and combinations of partsas will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out inthe claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals of reference designatelike parts in the several figures; Figure 1 is a plan view of the atticof a meter with my improved mechanism attached thereto, the shell ofsaid meter being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a section of the valve caseupon line A-B of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of oneof the shafts; Fig. 1 is a front view of the coin case; Fig. 5 is asectional side view thereof upon line CD of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is anelevation of the valve operating mechanism; Fig. 7 is a view thereoflooking from the right of Fig. 6 with one of the side plates removed andportions of some of the gears broken ofi; Fig. 8 is a rear view of thecoin case and coin carrier with the mechanism connected therewith; Fig.9 is a similar View with some of the mechanism removed; Fig. 10 is asectional elevation of the coin carrier upon line EF of Fig. 9, showingthe location of the parts when a coin is inserted therein; Fig. 11 is aside eleva- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 5, 1908.

Patented Aug. 15, 1911. Serial No. 466,117.

tion of the gear mechanism shown in Fig. 8; Fig. 12 is a side elevationof the valve case; Fig. 13 is an elevation of the valve operatingmechanism looking from the left of Fig. 6; and Fig. 1 1 is a crosssection of the coin carrier upon line GH of Fig. 9.

In the operation of my invention a coin is placed within a rotatablymounted carrier and operates a lever mounted therein which engages anarm connected with a train of gears, and from which the valve is openeda predetermined distance. The valve is closed through the rotation ofthe drive shaft, a predetermined number of revolutions of such shaftautomatically returning the valve to its closed position.

Provision is made by a separable connection between the valve and itsoperating mechanism for operating the same, whereby the predeterminedquantity of gas paid for is only limited by the registering capacity ofthe meter.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the meter body, 2 the leverswhich are com mon to every gas meter, 3 the drive shaft which is alsocommon to all meters and is shown herein as being supported by thestandards 1 and 5, which are both fastened to the attic floor 6, and 7is the recording mechanism. The drive shaft 3 is rotated from the levers2 and operates the recording mechanism 7 which registers the amount ofgas consumed by means of the usual indicator dials upon the face of themeter.

The valve operating mechanism is mounted between two side plates 8 thatare held apart by the posts 9, each plate being provided with thecatches 10 to provide ready means for attachment to the part 11 of themeter body. Journaled in these plates is the spindle 12 having rotatablethereon the gears 13 and 19 which are secured together, the said gear 19being operated from the coin controlled mechanism hereinafter described.Adjacent thereto and rotatable upon the hub between the gears 13 and 19is the gear 1 1 of the same diameter and pitch as the gear 13, and fixedthereto is the gear 20 which meshes into a worm 21 fixed on a shaft 22that is rotatably mounted in brackets 23 on one of the side plates 8.Upon the opposite side of the gear 13 from that of the gear 1 1, looselymounted upon the spindle 12, is the gear 15.

Rotatably mounted upon the pintles 16, fixed within the gear 15, is theepicycloidal train, comprising the pinions 17 and 18 which mesh intoeach other, and the pinion 17 having engagement also with the gear 14,and the pinion 18 having engagement with the gear 13.

Journaled in the standard 5 at one end, and in the bearing 25 fixed inthe part 11 at the other end, is the shaft 26 having a slot 27 in theend thereof, into which projects the end of the shaft 22 and the crosspin 28 fixed therein, a breakable connection being thus made between theshafts 22 and 26. Fixed on said shaft is a gear 29, the teeth of whichengage the teeth of the worm wheel 30 on the shaft 3, the same beingheld against endwise movement between the arms of the yoke end of thestandard 5.

The valve casing 30 can be made of any desired form, but as herein shownconsists of a rectangular box having means con nected therewith wherebythe inlet pipe 81 from the gas main can be connected thereto at one endand the outlet pipe 82 at the other end. lVithin the interior of thiscasing is mounted the valve itself, which comprises a valve disk 31connected by an arm 33 with a shaft 32 journaled in said valve casingand carrying an arm 34 fixed thereto provided with a slot 35 in theouter end thereof. Journaled between the side plates 8 is a spindle 36carrying a pinion 37 which meshes into, and is driven by, the gear 15,and a pinion 38 which meshes into and drives a gear 39 which is fixed onthe spindle 40 also ournaled between the plates 8 and having a pinion 41thereon which meshes into and drives a gear 42 mounted upon a fixed stud43. Each of the spindles 36 and 40 carries an indicating finger 44 thatrotates in front of the dial 45 fixed to one of the plates 8.

Fixed on the end of the spindle 12 is an arm 47 carrying a laterallyprojecting pin 48 in the outer end thereof and a similar pin 46 projectslaterally, from the gear 42. As the spindle 12 is rotated by the coinmeans, hereafter to be described, in the direction of the arrow shown inFig. 13, it will cause the gear 13 and arm 47 to rotate in the directionof the said arrow, and as the pin 48 strikes the underside of the arm34, rotates the shaft 35 and lifts the valve disk 31 off its seat, thusopening the valve, and when fully opened the said pin 48 passes saidlever and continues its rotary movement. This valve is automaticallyclosed by the following operation. As the drive shaft 30 is rotated theshaft 26 is also rotated through the worm 30 and worm gear 29, and thegear 20 through the worm 21, and arm 47 through the pinion 17. The arm47 is thus caused to rotate in the reverse direction than when beingrotated from the spindle 12, and in its rotation by the engagement ofthe pin 48 with the slot 35, the valve disk 31 is returned to itsoriginal position through the rock shaft 33 and intermediate connection.This position of the parts is shown by broken lines in Fig. 13. It isapparent that any movement of the rock arm 34 in either direction willopen or close the valve 31 according to the direction of its movement,and to open the valve the rock lever is actuated by coin mechanism,hereafter to be described, and closed automatically by mechanismoperated by the passage of gas through the meter. As the arm 47 isactuated by the coin mechanism the arm 34 is out of the path of the pin48 and will so continue as long as coins are being placed in the coincarrier. When the gas paid for has been substantially consumed the pin46 in the gear 42 engages the arm 34 and moves the slot into the path ofthe pin 48 so that said pin will enter said slot and during itscontinued movement will actuate the rock lever 34, as before described.

The location of the pin 46 in the gear 42 is such that the total amountof gas capable of being registered by the indicating mechanism will passthrough the meter before said pin 46 engages the rock arm 34, providedall of said gas has been paid for in advance. Otherwise the relation ofthe pin 46 to the rock lever 34 is such that the amount of gas paid forwill pass through the meter before the said pin engages the rock arm 47.

The coin mechanism is contained within the case 49 separably secured toa laterally projecting portion on the meter body 1 and within which isrotatably mounted the coin carrier 51 having a finger pin 52 upon oneside and a bearing upon the other side. This carrier is made with a coinopening 54 between the walls thereof and within which is mounted a triplever 55 having a projecting trip arm 56. Fixed to the back of the coincase 49 is removable plate 57 within which is rotatably mounted the gear58 having connected therewith a spreader 59, bent at both ends to formthe lips 60 which project into the path of the trip arm 56 when in oneof its posit-ions. This spreader is held against overthrow movement by aspring 61. Fixed to an offset arm 62 on said plate 57 is a stud 63, uponwhich is rotatably mounted the gear 64 and pinion 65, which gear andpinion are preferably integral with each other. Motion is communicatedfrom the gear 58 to the gear 64 and pinion 65 through the intermediategears 66 and 67 which rotate upon a stud 68 fixed in the ends of theyoke arms 69 and 70. The arm 69 straddles the pin 63 and the arm 70straddles a post 71 fixed in the plate 57, both of said arms 69 and 70being adjustably secured to said post and stud. It is apparent thatintermediate gears of any other size may be substituted for the gear 66and 67, and hence the ratio of speed between the gears 58 and 64 can bevaried indefinitely. The coin case 49 is so mounted in relation to thevalve operating mechanism that the pinion 65 meshes into and drives thegear 19 and thus actuatcs the spindle 12 in one direction.

In operation the coin is passed through the slot 72 in the face of thecoin case 49 and into the coin carrier and while being forced thereinengages the trip lever 55 and moves it from the position shown in Fig. 3to that shown in Fig. 8, wherein the trip arm 59 is forced into the pathof the ends 60 on the spreader 59. The carrier is now rotated throughthe finger pin 52 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 8 andduring the movement of the coin carrier the spreader is moved therewithand through its connection with the gear 58 motion is transmitted to thespindle 12 by the mechanism hereinbefore described and the valve 31moved off its seat. After about onehalf of a revolution has been madeand the coin slot in the coin carrier has been brought into registerwith a pocket 73 in said coin case the spring 74 connecting the triplever 55 with the coin carrier 51 throws the coin out of said coincarrier into said pocket from which it drops into a receptacle 75conveniently arranged to receive it. Further rotation of the coincarrier in this direction is prevented by an arm 7 6 integral therewithwhich engages a stop pin 77 which is arranged so that said arm is inengagement with said pin when said coin carrier is in register with saidpocket. After the movement of the coin carrier has begun the returnthereof without the ejectment of the coin is prevented by a pawl 78which is pivotally connected with the case 4-9 and is in the path of thetrip arm 56, the spring 7 9 connected therewith permitting the same toyield and allow the said trip arm to pass. The stop pin 80 fixed in saidcase will hold said pawl from moving in the opposite direction and hencewill not permit the return of said carrier until after the coin has beenejected therefrom.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within myinvention, and T would'therefore have it understood that I do not limitmyself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but claimall that falls fairly within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Let'- ters Patent, is

1. In a prepayment attachment for meters; a rotatably mounted coincarrier; a gear concentric with said carrier; a spreader connected withsaid gear; a coin actuated lever pivotally mounted in said coin carrierhaving a part thereon which projects into the path of said spreader inone of its positions; a driven gear connected with a fixed part androtatable about an axis substantially parallel with the axis of saidcoin carrier; intermediate gears between said first mentioned gear andsaid driven gear; and pivotally connected and adjustably secured armsfor mounting said intermediate gears where by gears of various diametersmay be sub stituted.

2. In a prepayment attachment for meters; a pivotally mounted coincarrier; a gear rotatable therewith; a spreader connected with saidgear; a coin actuated lever in said coin carrier having a part thereonwhich projects into the path of said spreader; a driven gear rotatableabout an axis substantially parallel with the axis of said coin carrier;a train of gears connecting said first mentioned gear with said drivengear; and means for mounting said train of gears whereby the ratio ofspeed between said first mentioned gear and driven gear may be varied.

3. In a prepayment attachment for meters; a coin case having a coin slottherethrough; a coin carrier rotatably mounted therein; a coin actuatedlever within said carrier; a gear connected with said carrier; aspreader connected with said rotary gear and having lips at both endsthereof which project into the path of said coin actuated lever when acoin is in said carrier; a pawl connected with a fixed part forpreventing the return of said coin carrier after the said lever hasengaged said spreader; a driven gear rotatably mounted upon a fixed partwith its axis substantially parallel with said coin carrier; andadjustably mounted intermediate gears between said first gear and saiddriven gear.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDT/VIN A. REEVE S.

Witnesses GEORGE E. HALL, FLORENCE H. MONK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

